Shades of a foregone, fractious era came to light at the Monday regular
meeting of the AISD Board of Trustees, as board members met until midnight,
squabbling with each other and even redrafting language of a rather minor
resolution on the dais. And as the weeks and months roll by, the two minority
trustees – Diana Caste�eda and Loretta Edelen – continually pit
themselves against the rest of the board, especially on matters that affect
poor and minority school populations. Several times on Monday, Caste�eda
accused the rest of the trustees of not heeding Edelen’s and her concerns for
no good reason.
For example, Edelen asked that an information item at the end of the board
agenda called, “Strategies for Increasing Performance of Disadvantaged Youth,”
be moved to just before the board’s executive session. Board president Kathy
Rider declined to grant Edelen’s request; Edelen asked for a vote on the
matter. Ted Whatley joined Edelen and Caste�eda in the vote to move the
item, but the rest of the board declined to hear it out of order. The board
then moved through instruction items and its consent agenda, and prepared to
recess to discuss personnel matters. This time, Caste�eda asked to
promote the item; Rider said no, pointing out that the board had already taken
a vote.
The battle continued when trustees emerged from an extended executive session,
in which they discussed the appointment of principals for three elementary
schools – two of which are in East Austin and plagued by low-performing status.
Consuelo Barr was swiftly appointed by the board to Govalle Elementary School;
she has 11 years of experience teaching and counseling, and has been an
assistant principal, but has never been a principal. Yet neither has Suzanne
Cunningham, whom Edelen opposed as the permanent principal of Winn Elementary
in Edelen’s district. Edelen moved that Cunningham, an 18-year classroom
veteran, instead be appointed on an interim basis, until an applicant pool of
more experienced candidates could be reviewed for the job. Cunningham was
finally approved, 7-2, with the two minority members casting the dissenting
votes.
Another noteworthy event occurred earlier in the meeting – the final report
from the AISD Citizens’ Bond Advisory Committee, which has completed a year’s
worth of work determining the district’s facilities needs. While the committee
is not recommending a dollar amount for the bond issue, per se, they have
determined that AISD has needs totaling $370.2 million, $332.7 million of which
is “must-have.”
Two members of the 19-member committee declined to sign off on the report,
however. Max Woodfin, appointed by trustee Geoff Rips, and Gavino Fernandez,
appointed by Caste�eda, issued a statement outlining their opposition.
They believe that the plan for school construction will contribute to urban
sprawl, adversely impact environmentally sensitive areas, and resegregate the
district. Three of six proposed new elementary schools are slated to be located
in Southwest Austin. Woodfin and Fernandez say they do have “positive
alternatives” to this situation, if and when the board wants to consider such
alternatives. Much, much more will be said on this later.
Note: No board meetings are scheduled for July. The next regular meeting is
August 14.n
This article appears in June 30 • 1995 and June 30 • 1995 (Cover).